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Teacher says he won’t show Trump inaugural address to students

Williamston teacher’s decision not to show President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration speech prompted strong reactions on social media after a letter to parents was shared by Williamston graduate and current syndicated radio host Steve Gruber

Teacher says he won’t show Trump inaugural address to students

A Williamston teacher’s decision not to show President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration speech to his students prompted strong reactions on social media after a letter to parents was shared by Williamston graduate and current syndicated radio host Steve Gruber..(Photo: File / Lansing State Journal)Buy Photo

WILLIAMSTON - A Williamston teacher’s decision not to show President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration speech to his students prompted strong reactions on social media after a letter to parents was shared by Williamston graduate and current syndicated radio host Steve Gruber..

On his website, Gruber, who also has two children in the school district, posted an email sent to parents Monday by Brett Meteyer, a fourth-grade teacher at Williamston’s Explorer Elementary School. Gruber said he received a copy of the email from another parent in the district.

In the email, Meteyer explained that the President-elect's comments during the election about women, minorities and the disabled, comments Meteyer characterized as inflammatory and derogatory, left him worried Trump might make similar statements following his inauguration.

“Because I am concerned about my students and your children being exposed to language and behavior that is not in concert with the most conservative social and family values, I have decided to show the inauguration of Donald Trump this Friday, but we will not view Mr. Trump's inauguration speech,” Meteyer wrote in the email.

Meteyer also wrote that his attempts to reach out to the Trump team in an effort to preview the speech ahead of time were unsuccessful.

In his letter to parents, Meteyer wrote that he showed students inauguration speeches made by former President George W. Bush in 2005 and Barack Obama in 2009. He ended the email by saying his plans could change if he hears back from the Trump team.

Meteyer didn’t respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Gruber said he isn’t asking for Meteyer to be fired or threatening to pull his own children from the district. Rather, he said he’d prefer the teacher use Friday’s event as an important lesson for his students.

“He has an opportunity to demonstrate that even when you lose, you come together for peaceful transfer of power. The message to 10-year-olds in his class is that the president is a bad man, and that’s not acceptable,” Gruber said.

Narda Murphy, superintendent of Williamston Community Schools, wrote a letter to families explaining that teachers are expected to teach the curriculum in a balanced manner and “demonstrate good judgment in their communications with families.” The letter also noted that the district won’t comment on specific employee issues.

“Each teacher determines classroom instruction, and we encourage parents to contact them if they have concerns,” she said.

Murphy said the decision to show students the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies is made by individual teachers, not the administration.

Gruber said the district’s statement did little to address concerns, adding that administrators “might as well have issued a blank piece of paper.”